A32047:101
The noble-mans pattern of true and real thankfulness presented in a sermon preached before…The noble-mans patterne of true and reall thankfulnesse presented in a sermon preached before…
The noble-mans pattern of true and real thankfulness presented in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords, at their late solemn day of Thanksgiving, June 15, 1643 : for the discovery of a dangerous, desperate and bloody design tending to the utter subversion of the Parliament and of the famous city of London / by Edmund Calamy ...The noble-mans patterne of true and reall thankfulnesse presented in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords, at their late solemne day of Thanksgiving, June 15, 1643 : for the discovery of a dangerous, desperate and bloody designe tending to the utter subversion of the Parliament and of the famous city of London / by Edmund Calamy ...
London: printed by G.M. for Christopher Meredith, 1643
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First, let me tell you that great places, as they are great abilities and opportunities to do God service and great blessings if improved accordingly. So if they be not improved for that end they are great curses, they are soul-traps, silken-halters, golden damnations. And there cannot be a ⟨p. 30⟩greater sign of a man that hath his Heaven in this life, then to be great and wicked, rich and wicked. And therefore Abraham tells Dives, Luc. 16. 25. Remember son that thou in thy life time hast had thy good things, but now thou art tormented. Gregory the great never read this Text, but it made him tremble, and it may justly cause all such as are clothed in purple and fare deliciously every day to tremble.
First, let me tell you that great places, as they are great abilities and opportunities to doe God service and great blessings if improved accordingly. So if they be not improoved for that end they are great curses, they are soule-traps, silken-halters, golden damnations. And there cannot be a ⟨p. 30⟩greater signe of a man that hath his Heaven in this life, then to be great and wicked, rich and wicked. And therefore Abraham tels Dives, Luc. 16. 25. Remember sonne that thou in thy life time hast had thy good things, but now thou art tormented. Gregory the great never read this Text, but it made him tremble, and it may justly cause all such as are cloathed in purple and fare deliciously every day to tremble.
Consider further that Text, 1 Cor. 1. 26. You see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. There are some noble men called, but not many. There are but few that are great and rich here, and great and rich hereafter. A Text to be trembled at by great men. The Ostrich is not able to fly high as the Lark, because her wings are so big. The Moon is never in the eclipse, but when it is in the full, and then it is most distant from the Sun. Fullness of outward prosperity and happiness should indeed be maximum vinculum obedientiae, the greatest bond of obedience; but yet it proves for the most part, maximus laqueus Diaboli, the greatest snare the Devil hath to entrap our souls. This is the reason why so few of the Noble-men and Gentlemen of the Kingdom appear on the Parliaments side in this great time of necessity. Not many mighty, not many noble are called. Thus it was in Christs time. The great men and the great Scholars crucified Christ, and the poor received the Gospel. The followers of Christ were a company of poor people and silly women: This made the chief Priests say,